Clustering and Dissolution of Small Helium Clusters in Bulk Tungsten

Density functional theory calculations are conducted to investigate the stability and interactions among small helium(He) clusters in bulk tungsten(W).The lowest energy structure of each cluster for sizes 9) = 1 to 6 is determined.With the formation of He clusters,He defects form in bulk W.The thermodynamics of the clusters are investigated in the temperature range of 1000–2300 K using molecular dynamics.This study provides the information essential to understand small He cluster behavior in bulk W.     

Trapping Behavior of He in Ti Revisited by ab initio Calculations

We report a detailed ab initio study of the trapping behavior of interstitial helium atoms （IHAs） in hcp Ti. The tetrahedral interstitial site for one He is confirmed to be the most stable IHA configuration, but the most favorable interstitial site comprises two adjacent octahedral sites for two helium atoms. The octahedral IHA can trap another IHA regardless of the site where it is initially located, whereas the tetrahedral IHA cannot. Hybridization among the different states is responsible for the stable order, which has significant implications for He clustering and bubble nucleation that can affect material performance in future fusion reactors. These results provide the basis for the development of improved atomistic models.     

Energetics of He and H Atoms in W–Ta Alloys: First-Principle Calculations

Properties of various defects of He and H atoms in W-Ta alloys are investigated based on density functional theory. The tetrahedral interstitial site is the most configured site for self-interstitial He and H in W and W-Ta alloys. Only a single He atom favors a substitutional site in the presence of a nearby vacancy. However, in the coexistence of He and H atoms in the presence of the vacancy, the single H atom favors the tetrahedral interstitial site(TIS) closest to the vacancy, and the He atom takes the vacancy center. The addition of Ta can reduce the formation energy of TIS He or H defects. The substituted Ta affects the charge density distribution in the vicinity of the He atom and decreases the valence electron density of the H atoms. A strong hybridization of the H s states and the nearest W d state s exists in W_(53)He_1 H_1 structure. The sequence of the He p projected DOS at the Fermi energy level is in agreement with the order of the formation energy of the He-H pair in the systems.